To James Madison from William Lee, 15 January 1806 (Abstract)
From William Lee, 15 January 1806 (Abstract)
§ From William Lee. 15 January 1806, Bordeaux. “In my last respects1 I mentioned that the Rochfort Squadron, which had lately returned into port, had burnt the Brig Minerva, & Cargo, of New York and that I understood several other american Vessels, had shared the same fate. The enclosed copies of letters which I have just recd. from Capt Salter, of the Minerva, and Messrs. Pelletreaux & Cie. of Rochfort,2 is all the information I have as yet been able to collect on this subject.
“In conformity with the act concerning Consuls, and vice Consuls, I have the honor to transmit you herewith, an Inventory, of the Personal Estate of the late Colonel Joshua Orne, of Marblehead.3 This gentleman was employed by a number of his friends, to pursue their claims under the Louisiana Treaty, and had actually received bills of Genl. Armstrong to the amount of three or four hundred thousand francs. Some artful designing men at Paris, who knew him to be in possession of large sums of money, led him into ridiculous speculations, and finally swindled him of two thirds of the property, intrusted to his care, in consequence of which, he lost his senses and in a fit of delirium, fell down stairs and died instantly of a contusion on the head.
“The moniteur which I forward by this Vessel wil⟨l⟩ give you the details of the events that have taken place on the continent since my last. The articles of the peace with austria, have not yet been promulgated. The Emperor is detained at munich, in celebrat⟨in⟩g the marriage of the Prince Beauharnais vice roi of Italy with the daughter of the King of Bavaria.
“The Presidents address reached here yesterday and has caused great delight to the Americans, I am having some parts of it translated for the Gazette of this City.”
RC and enclosures (DNA: RG 59, CD, Bordeaux, vol. 2). RC 2 pp. For enclosures, see nn. 2–3.
2. The enclosures are (1) a translation (1 p.; docketed by Wagner) of Pelletreaux & Cie. of Rochefort to Lee, 12 Jan. 1806, announcing the arrival with the French fleet of Perkins Salter of the Minerva, which had been burned with its cargo; and stating that they would provide Salter and captains Pennick, Tuck, and Sargent, “with all the Counsel and succour they may demand of us”; and asking if Lee had any orders to give regarding them; and (2) Salter to Lee, 7 Jan. 1806 (1 p.), from the Thetis at Île d’Aix, reporting the burning of the Minerva and cargo, stating that the mate had been accidently killed while boarding the Thetis and that the rest of the crew had been onboard the Suffren for sixteen days and not allowed to go ashore, asking Lee to inform John Armstrong of their situation, reporting that the French had said they would pay them but not when, asking Lee to write advising them of the best steps to take, and adding in a postscript that there were three other Americans besides himself on different ships in the squadron and that he understood the French meant to impress the sailors.
3. The enclosures (7 pp.) are (1) a copy of Lee’s 25 Dec. 1805 statement that John Browne Cutting of Boston and Dr. John Ellison of Bordeaux told him that Joshua Orne had died at seven that morning at home and that he, consulate chancellor Christopher Meyer, Calais consul John Appleton, and Cutting had taken an inventory of Orne’s effects; (2) an inventory, signed by Appleton and Lee, of a “small Box containing Memorandums letters and loose papers” listing all the letters, receipts, and accounts as well as seven drafts on the U.S. Treasury; (3) an inventory, signed by Lee, Cutting, Appleton, and Meyer, of a “Black Trunk” containing Orne’s wardrobe consisting of several coats, pantaloons, waistcoats, shirts, and accessories, as well as a diamond ring, a carnelian seal, a silver watch, 845 francs, “a bad Louis d’or,” six boxes of anchovies, and some books; (4) a copy of Lee’s ⟨1⟩ Jan. 1806 letter to collector Joseph Wilson of Marblehead providing details of Orne’s death; stating that Orne had been agent for several claims, had succeeded in collecting some, and had lost the funds through speculation; noting that any tales that Orne had done away with himself were false and asking Wilson to assure Orne’s family of this should they hear any such rumors; saying that he had paid such debts as Orne owed at Bordeaux and that the rest of the money would be given to the secretary of the Treasury to be handed over to the administrators of Orne’s estate. He added that Orne’s death was probably “a fortunate circumstance” for him and his family, since Lee was convinced that had Orne lived “he never would have recovered from the shock his mind and reputation had received.” Joshua Orne (1757–1805) was a Revolutionary War veteran who left Harvard College to join the army during that war. He served in the Massachusetts legislature in 1790 and 1797 (Abbot et al., Papers of George Washington: Revolutionary War Series, 17: 432 n. 3).